Li, Li. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 34-36). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Methodology --- p.5 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Data --- p.9 / Chapter 3.1 --- Data Description --- p.9 / Chapter 3.2 --- Selection of Covariate --- p.13 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Empirical Analysis --- p.20 / Chapter 4.1 --- General Survival Analysis by Cox PH Model --- p.20 / Chapter 4.2 --- Competing Risk Analysis of Listed Firms --- p.24 / Chapter 4.3 --- Robustness Check --- p.28 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Conclusion --- p.30 / Appendix 1 --- p.32 / Appendix II --- p.33 / Reference --- p.34 / Tables --- p.37 / Figures --- p.58

Sabe-se que enfermeiros que atuam em unidades de internação psiquiátrica, desenvolvem múltiplas tarefas com diferentes graus de exigências e responsabilidades, as quais, dependendo do ambiente e da forma como está planejado e organizado o trabalho podem expor este profissional aos riscos ocupacionais presentes, com conseqüências negativas para a sua saúde bem como, para qualidade do cuidado prestado aos pacientes. Dentre estes riscos, destaca-se os psicossociais. Os riscos psicossociais relacionam-se à aspectos de planejamento, organização e gerenciamento do trabalho que podem provocar desgaste físico e emocional ao trabalhador. Este estudo tem o objetivo de caracterizar os riscos psicossociais relacionados ao trabalho de enfermeiros de um hospital psiquiátrico e as estratégias para o seu gerenciamento. É um estudo descritivo utilizando a abordagem qualitativa dos dados. Os participantes foram 25 enfermeiros inseridos há mais de 6 meses no local de estudo e a coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas no período de novembro à janeiro 2014/15. Para análise dos dados foi utilizado o método de análise temática. O trabalho foi aprovado no CEP da EERP/USP. Os resultados mostraram sete categorias de riscos psicossociais tais como: formação profissional, ambiente e equipamento de trabalho, relacionamento interpessoal, carga e esquema de trabalho, recursos humanos, interface trabalho-família, violência. Não foram identificadas estratégias organizacionais para o gerenciamento dos riscos, entretanto, os enfermeiros relataram a implementação de estratégias individuais para aliviar as tensões e/ou riscos gerados no ambiente de trabalho tais como: recorrer a presença da família, cinema, música, leitura, exercícios físicos, busca por terapias, religião, viagens e passeios. O estudo contribuiu preenchendo lacunas na produção de conhecimento sobre riscos ocupacionais a que estão expostos os profissionais enfermeiros de saúde mental no contexto hospitalar. Além disso, os resultados podem fornecer subsídios para gestores conhecerem detalhadamente as condições de trabalho aos quais estão expostos enfermeiros psiquiátricos, na perspectiva de implementar estratégias preventivas e/ou conservativas no ambiente laboral / It is known that nurses who work in psychiatric inpatient units, develop multiple tasks with different levels of requirements and responsibilities, which, depending on the environment and how it is planned and organized the work can expose these professionals to occupational risks present with negative consequences for their health as well, to quality of care provided to pacientes.Dentre these risks, we highlight the psychosocial. Psychosocial risks are related to aspects of planning, organization and management of work that can cause physical and emotional stress to the worker. This study aims to characterize the psychosocial risks related to the work of nurses in a psychiatric hospital and strategies for its management. It is a descriptive study using a qualitative approach. The participants were 25 nurses inserted for more than six months at the study site and the data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews in the period from November to January 2014/15. For data analysis we used the method of thematic analysis. The study was approved by CEP- EERP / USP. The results showed seven psychosocial risk categories such as vocational training, environment and work equipment, interpersonal relationships, work load and work schedule, staffing, work-family interface, violence. Organizational strategies for managing the risks have been identified, however, the nurses reported the implementation of individual strategies to ease tensions and / or risks arising in the workplace such as: enlist the presence of the family, cinema, music, reading, exercises physical, search for therapies, religion, travel and tours. The study contributed filling gaps in knowledge production about occupational hazards they are exposed to professional mental health nurses in hospitals. In addition, the results can provide information for managers to know in detail the working conditions to which they are exposed psychiatric nurses with a view to implement preventive strategies and / or conservative in the work environment

Foi realizado um estudo da situação epidemiológica da brucelose e tuberculose bovina na região denominada, neste estudo, de circuito pecuário 7, da qual fazem parte o Vale do Paraíba, a região metropolitana de São Paulo (incluindo a capital e a grande São Paulo) e o litoral norte do Estado. Este estudo tem por finalidade estimar a prevalência de focos e de animais positivos para brucelose e tuberculose e comparar os resultados obtidos para brucelose com o estudo prévio para a mesma região do Estado de São Paulo de Dias et al., 2009 E definir os fatores de riscos para ambas as doenças na região. As propriedades a serem visitadas foram sorteadas aleatoriamente e durante a visita, um questionário epidemiológico foi aplicado, amostras de sangue foram coletadas e a inoculação nos animais foi realizada de acordo com o número de fêmeas bovinas acima de 24 meses existentes na propriedade. A prevalência de focos para brucelose foi de 8,4% (IC 95%: [5,3-12,6%]) e a de tuberculose de 13,3% (IC 95%: [9,3-18,1%]). A prevalência de animais foi de 1,1% (IC95%: [0,6-2,0%]) para brucelose e 1,9% (IC95%%: [1,2-3,0%]) para tuberculose. Não houve modelo de regressão múltipla que explicasse quais fatores de risco poderiam levar à ocorrência de brucelose, já para a tuberculose a análise múltipla indicou que a existência de mais de 10 (dez) vacas em lactação na propriedade rural está associada ao aumento da prevalência de tuberculose na propriedade (OR=8,25 IC 95%: [3,11-21,87%]). / A study of the epidemiological situation of bovine brucellosis and tuberculosis was carried out in the region referred to in this study, livestock circuit 7, which includes Vale do Paraíba, São Paulo metropolitan area (including the capital and Greater São Paulo) and São Paulo State northern coast. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of positive herds and animals for brucellosis and tuberculosis and compare the results obtained for brucellosis with a previous study in the same area in the state of São Paulo of Dias et al., 2009. And define the risk factors for both diseases in the region. The farm premises were randomly select to be visited and during the visit an epidemiological questionnaire was administered, blood samples were taken and animals were inoculated according to the number of cows over 24 months on the premises. The prevalence in the herds for brucellosis was 8.4% (95% CI: [5.3 to 12.6%]) and for tuberculosis 13.3% (95% CI: [9.3 to 18.1%]). The prevalence of animals was 1.1% (95% CI: [0.6 to 2.0%]) for brucellosis and 1.9% (95% CI%: [1.2 to 3.0%]) for tuberculosis. A multiple regression model to explain risk factors associated with the occurrence of brucellosis was not found. For tuberculosis, the multiple analysis indicated that the existence of more than ten (10) milking cows on the farm was associated with an increase in the prevalence of tuberculosis in the premises (OR = 8.25 95% CI [3.11 to 21.87%]).

Background. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is currently based on synthesizing measurements on five different biochemical and anthropometric scales. The logistics involved makes it less than an ideal screening test of cardiometabolic risk. Adipocytokines, c-peptide and ghrelin have emerged as important non-traditional biomarkers for understanding cardio-metabolic risk, and offer potential as tests of cardiometabolic risk. However, optimal sensitivity and specificity cut-offs of non-traditional biomarkers for detecting cardiometabolic risk are scarce, especially in pre-adolescent ethnic minorities. Objective. To assess the efficacy of 7 non-traditional biomarkers for detecting 3 or more cardiometabolic risk factors in pre-adolescent Hispanic children. Methods. The study population consisted of a healthy control group of 23 children and an at-risk group of 15 children aged 2-10 years with 3 or more cardiometabolic risk factors (blood pressure>=90th percentile; waist circumference >=90th percentile; triglycerides>=95th percentile; and HDL<5th >percentile) who were recruited as part of a larger pilot study of metabolic syndrome in Hispanic children receiving well-child care at a community health center in Johnson City, TN, from June 2015 to September 2016. T-test, Mann-Whitney U and Chi-squared tests were used to assess differences in characteristics of the two groups. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between biomarkers and cardiometabolic risk factors. ROC analysis and the Youden’s J statistic=maximum (sensitivity +(specificity-1)) were used to determine biomarker cut-off for optimal sensitivity and specificity. Data analysis was performed using SAS 9.4. Results. The mean age of the sample was 6.48 years (SD=2.74). About half of the sample were girls (50.5%). The at-risk group had significantly higher systolic blood pressure, triglyceride levels, waist circumference, leptin and C-peptide levels, but significantly lower HDL-C levels than participants in the control group. Leptin [r (38) = 0.3, p

Cette thèse porte sur la gestion des risques associés aux marchés financiers au sein des grandes organisations financières européennes. A partir d’un travail ethnographique approfondi et d’entretiens, elle vise à améliorer la compréhension de la gestion des risques de marchés financiers dans les banques et les compagnies d'assurance de la zone euro. Cette recherche montre que les gestionnaires de risque construisent leur connaissance et leur évaluation des risques avec un but premier : celui de satisfaire les exigences de d’acteurs extérieurs à l’organisation davantage que de couvrir les risques générés par les activités de celle-ci. Plusieurs acteurs ont en effet la possibilité de mettre en danger la santé de l’organisation, par exemple les régulateurs ou les actionnaires et les contreparties. Les gestionnaires de risque se préoccupent surtout de l’évaluation par le régulateur. Dans la limite de ce que leur permettent les possibilités de calcul et la comptabilité, ils essayent de répondre au mieux aux pressions de ces acteurs. Par une communication qui reflète ce qu’ils anticipent des souhaits des acteurs externes, les gestionnaires de risque essayent d’éviter des sanctions de la part de ces derniers. / Risks taken in the financial sector have been in the public eye since the financial crisis of 2008. This thesis explores the internal workings of the large organisations that take financial market risks, banks and insurance companies. It follows their risk managers, analysing their work and output. The thesis is based on an ethnography with 84 semi-structured interviews and two participant observations in risk management. EU regulation and literature on financial risk state that risk managers control risk taking of their organisations. This thesis shows that is not the case. The risk managers do not have the resources to make the control stick. They focus on another aspect, namely on keeping the organisation alive. The risk managers prevent negative consequences from happening to their organisation by handling the communications to resourceful outsiders. Regulators, shareholders and counterparties all have the power to bring down a financial organisation. The risk managers manage communications about the state of the organisation to these outsiders. With the help of their risk assessments, they want to avoid the negative effects an outsider could bring. Accounting rules and mathematical standards restrict the malleability of the risks, depending on enforcement of powerfull outsiders. The risk managers juggle the different limits to show an organisation in good health.

Welding is a metal joining process widely used in many manufacturing facilities around the world. It involves the process of heating the base and filler metals to a high temperature that leads to the formation of fumes. Welding emissions consist of gaseous pollutants and micron and sub-micron particles consisting of different heavy metals. Health risks associated with exposures to weld fume is well recognized in the literature. This research evaluates emissions and emission factors applicable to gas metal arc welding (GMAW) on AH 36 (mild steel) and 316 L (stainless steel). Emission factors evaluated consisted, total fume, chromium, cobalt, lead, manganese, and nickel. A weld fume chamber is used to capture the welding fumes onto a filter and then further analyzed to quantify the total fume and heavy metal emissions. Critical operating parameters such as current, voltage, shielding gas, welding speed, and contact tube to work distance (CTWD) were considered while evaluating emissions and emission factors. The parameters with greater influence on emissions are selected, and then the heavy metal emissions are quantified by varying those parameters using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and portable XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) analyzer. The heavy metal results from the ICP-AES and XRF are compared to explore the feasibility of using XRF analyzer in quantifying the heavy metals in welding fumes. Using the heavy metal emissions, the lifetime carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks are evaluated for the GMAW process. The mild steel (MS) and stainless steel (SS) statistical analysis results indicate current and voltage are most influencing parameters in generating the fumes in GMAW. This research found a significant linear relationship between ICP-AES and XRF heavy metal results. The lifetime carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks results indicate high potential health risks if not properly managed.

Paralleling recent increased public awareness of transgender issues, gender nonconforming youth are coming out at increasingly earlier ages. It is important to understand the impact that family acceptance or family rejection has on the health outcomes of transgender young people, who are at increased risk of discrimination, prejudice, harassment, victimization, violence, and possible mental health issues and who are understudied. This understanding can be framed within the minority stress model and Carl Rogers' theory of self, which provide insight into how minority groups experience negative reactions from both society and an internalized sense of congruence. The purpose of this descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study was to measure the levels of negative health behaviors between transgender young adults who felt they had the support of their parents for their gender identity and those who did not. Data from 96 young transgender adults, between 18 and 25 years of age recruited through LGBT and transgender community organizations, were analyzed using correlation and logistic regression. Results showed significant relationships between the perception of parental support and suicidal ideation, number of suicide attempts, and illicit drug use. Findings from this study could contribute to positive social change by informing families, schools, health care providers, mental health practitioners, and policy makers about the significance of affirmative support for transgender youth. Quantifiable data regarding the impact of parental responses to a young person's gender identity could lead to the development of programs and policies leading to improved health outcomes for transgender youth.

In clustered survival data, unobservable cluster effects may exert powerful influences on the outcomes and thus induce correlation among subjects within the same cluster. The ordinary partial likelihood approach does not account for this dependence. Frailty models, as an extension to Cox regression, incorporate multiplicative random effects, called frailties, into the hazard model and have become a very popular way to account for the dependence within clusters. We particularly study the two-level nested lognormal frailty model and propose an estimation approach based on the complete data likelihood with frailty terms integrated out. We adopt B-splines to model the baseline hazards and adaptive Gauss-Hermite quadrature to approximate the integrals efficiently. Furthermore, in finding the maximum likelihood estimators, instead of the Newton-Raphson iterative algorithm, Gauss-Seidel and BFGS methods are used to improve the stability and efficiency of the estimation procedure. We also study competing risks models with missing cause of failure in the context of Cox proportional hazards models. For competing risks data, there exists more than one cause of failure and each observed failure is exclusively linked to one cause. Conceptually, the causes are interpreted as competing risks before the failure is observed. Competing risks models are constructed based on the proportional hazards model specified for each cause of failure respectively, which can be estimated using partial likelihood approach. However, the ordinary partial likelihood is not applicable when the cause of failure could be missing for some reason. We propose a weighted partial likelihood approach based on complete-case data, where weights are computed as the inverse of selection probability and the selection probability is estimated by a logistic regression model. The asymptotic properties of the regression coefficient estimators are investigated by applying counting process and martingale theory. We further develop a double robust approach based on the full data to improve the efficiency as well as the robustness.

Trata-se de estudo acerca da admissibilidade dos pactos de limitação da responsabilidade contratual no Direito Brasileiro e, em especial, nos contratos de transporte de carga. O primeiro capítulo trata da definição jurídica da cláusula de limitação de responsabilidade e de sua função econômica. O segundo capítulo aponta as diferentes manifestações de cláusulas de limitação de responsabilidades na prática contratual e as distingue de figuras próximas, tais quais a transação e as cláusulas de redução de garantias. O terceiro capítulo trata da admissibilidade a priori das cláusulas de limitação de responsabilidade no Direito Brasileiro. Nesse terceiro capítulo, são enfrentadas as principais objeções à validade da cláusula de limitação de responsabilidade, tanto sob a perspectiva da dogmática jurídica quanto sob a perspectiva das consequências sociais produzidas pela cláusula. A conclusão do terceiro capítulo é que, a princípio, as cláusulas de limitação de responsabilidade são admitidas no Direito Brasileiro. No quarto capítulo, são enfrentadas as questões dogmáticas específicas acerca da validade da cláusula de limitação. Identificam-se, nesse capítulo, os requisitos de validade da cláusula de limitação de responsabilidade no que diz respeito (i) aos atos que deram causa ao inadimplemento; (ii) aos tipos de obrigações violadas; e (iii) aos efeitos da cláusula sobre o equilíbrio contratual. São analisados, ainda, os requisitos de validade da cláusula nos contratos por adesão. O quinto capítulo trata da cláusula de limitação de responsabilidade no contrato de transporte de carga. No quinto capítulo se demonstrará que as limitações de responsabilidade do transportador previstas em leis e convenções internacionais acerca dos diferentes modais de transporte, em verdade, têm natureza contratual: consistem em cláusulas de limitação implícitas. As cláusulas de limitação de responsabilidade, tanto implícitas, quanto explícitas, inseridas em conhecimentos de transporte estão sujeitas aos requisitos de validade das cláusulas de limitação de responsabilidade em contratos por adesão. O quinto capítulo ainda enfrenta questões dogmáticas relativas à interpretação e eficácia das cláusulas de limitação de responsabilidade. / The purpose of this thesis is to further understand the admissibility of agreements to limit contractual liability in Brazilian Law, especially in what concerns contracts for carriage of goods. The first chapter is focused on the legal definition on the liability limitation cause and the economic function thereof. In turn, the second chapter refers to the different kinds of liability limitation clauses in contractual praxis, distinguishing such clauses from similar legal concepts, such as settlement clauses and clauses to reduce warranties. The purpose of the third chapter is to discuss the a priori admissibility of liability limitation clauses in Brazilian law, with respect to the main objections to the validity thereof, both in relation to the jurists opinion on the matter and from the perspective of the social consequences brought forth by said clauses. The conclusion drawn in the third chapter is that liability limitation clauses are, in a first glance, valid under Brazilian law. The fourth chapter addresses the specific issues of the doctrine relative to the validity of limitation clauses, thereby identifying the validity requirements of the liability limitation clause in what concerns (i) the acts that gave rise to the nonperformance, (ii) the types of non-performed obligations, and (iii) the effects of the clause on contractual balance. In addition, the validity requirements of the clause are assessed in standard form contracts. The fifth chapter focuses on the liability limitation clauses within contracts for carriage of goods, whereby it will be demonstrated that the limitations of the carriers liability provided for by laws and international conventions on different transportation modes are in fact of a contractual nature, for they are implied limitation clauses. Both explicit and implied liability limitation clauses included in bills of lading are subject to the validity requirements of liability limitation clauses set forth in standard form contracts. The fifth chapter furthermore addresses some controversial issues related to the interpretation and effectiveness of liability limitation clauses in contracts for carriage of goods.

Today, it is common to work with or within projects in most industries. One such business area is the IT and software industry. In this industry you work almost exclusively with projects. However, the industry is very risk-affected and a high number of projects are not completed. This is due to several different risk factors, such as inadequate communication, incompetence or lack of motivation. This study has researched the risks that project managers in the IT and software industry are experiencing and how the project managers proceed to manage these risks. The study was conducted through a qualitative interview study with a total of 8 project managers in this industry. The risks that they experience are prevalent risks related to the structure of the communication in the project, incompetence of the project managers, unmotivated project members and unclear objectives in the project. The handling of the communication risks meant that the project manager often worked out a strategy for communication with involved parties. The respondents did not reveal any specific method for managing risks associated with incompetence. Unmotivated project members were often handled by adaptation to the unmotivated party or through discussions with the specific person. Risks associated with unclear objectives were often handled by adaptation to the affected party or through overtime and more frequent communication within the project and with the customer. / Idag är det vanligt att arbeta med projekt inom de flesta branscher.  Ett sådant verksamhetsområde är IT- och mjukvarubranschen. I denna bransch är projektarbeten centrala i arbetet. Dock är den branschen väldigt riskdrabbad och en hög grad av projekten slutförs ej. Detta beror på flera olika riskfaktorer, exempelvis bristfällig kommunikation, okunskap eller motivation. Denna studie har studerat vilka risker som projektledare inom IT- och mjukvarubranschen upplever är förekommande och hur projektledarna går tillväga i syfte att hantera dessa risker. Studien har genomförts genom en kvalitativ intervjustudie med totalt 8 projektledare som är verksamma inom denna bransch. De risker som de upplever är förekommande är framförallt risker relaterade till formgivningen av kommunikationen i projektet, okunskap hos projektledare, omotiverade projektmedlemmar och otydliga målsättningar i projektet. Hanteringen av kommunikationsriskerna innebar att projektledaren ofta arbetade fram en strategi för kommunikation tillsammans med berörda parter. Någon specifik metod för hantering av risker som är kopplade till okunskap framgick inte av respondenterna. Omotiverade projektmedlemmar hanterades ofta genom anpassning till den omotiverade parten eller genom samtal med berörd part. Risker som var kopplade till otydliga målsättningar hanterades ofta genom anpassning till berörd part eller genom fler arbetade timmar och mer frekvent kommunikation inom projektet eller med kunden.